Self-winding electric clock.



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A TTORNE Y5 No. 868,587 PATENTED OGT.15, 190v 0.-W. WAGNER.

SELF WINDING ELECTRIC GLOGK.

APPLICATION FILED [AB-13, 1906.

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ATioRA/bys UNITED. STATES PATENT ossron.

'O'LEAVER w. WAGNER, or DANVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGN'OR' To AUTOMATIC CLOCK company, OF DANYILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters 1 mm.

Patented oct. 15, 1907.

511mm filed larch 1a, 1 06. Borlsllo. 806,873.

To all whom. it may concern:

Beit known that I, Ctsavnn W. WAGNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Danville, in .the county of Montour and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Self-Winding Electric 1 xClock, of which the following is a specification.

. This'invention relates to self winding electrical clocks of that general type in whicha propelling spring is placed under strws at intervals of five or six minutes,

more or less, through the operation of an electro-magnet, aid-during that intervalserves to propel'the clock train.

One of the principal objects of the invention is-t'o imor reducing the force exerted by the latter in accomplishing its work.

,A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of movable contact for making and breaking the circuit, said contact being actuated by the armature or the armature carried member in such manner as to cause it to move positively into engagement with, and positively out of engagement with the second contact or terminal of the circuit of the electromagnet.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a movable contact member, so mounted as to receive two positive'movements from the armature or armature carried member, the completion of the movement in one direction, to make the circuit, being instantly followed by movement in the opposite direction, for the purpose of positively breaking the circuit. 1

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of this type in which the circuit of the magnet is completed independent of the frame and arbors 'of the clock train, so that the passage of the current will not be retarded by the resistance frequently offered at the journals, owing to the presence of the fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement out in the appended claims, it being understood'that various changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of, the advantages of the invention. In the accompanying drawingsz-Figure 1 is a tional elevation of a self winding electric clock constructed in accordance with the invention, the parts being shown with the propelling spring under full stress. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same 'on the plane indicated 'by the line 2 2 of Fig. '1. Fig. -3 is aside view of the upper portibn of the clock, partly in section in the plane of the minute arbor. Fig. 4-is a sectional elevation, illustrating principally the contacts and the parts being shown in the position assumed just as the circuit is completed and before the downward movement of the armature. Fig. 5 is a similar view, showing the armature nearly at the completion" of its downward movement. Fig. 6 is an elevation of, one end 'of the armature and one of the armature carrying brackets. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the rocker arm to .whichthe propelling spring is connected. Fig. 8 is a similar view of the movable contact carried by 'the rocker arm. Fig. 9 isa detail perspective view of the relatively stationary contact carried by the minute arbor, and with which the movable contact engages.

Similar numerals of reference are employed toindicate corresponding parts throughout the severalfigures of the drawings The workingpai'ts of the apparatus are-supported in a clock frame including plates 10 and 11 that are held in spaced relation by the usual sleeved bolts 12, and the frame'has bearings for a simple form of clock train including a maina'rbor 13 which carries a minute wheel 14, and the latter is connected through intermediate gearing to an escapement arbor 15, carrying a scape wheel 16 under the control of an anchor 17' stud 22, or a reduced portion thereof, extends through the rocker arm and carries a hook 25 towhich is connected the upper end of a clocktrain propelling spring 26, the lower end ofwhich is connected to a fixed eye 27 carried by the frame. When the spring is under full stress and exercising its greatest force, the stud 25 is in the highest position shown in Fig. l, and as'the strem or force of the spring decreases owing to the contraction of the spring, the hook 25 is pulled down toward the position shown in Fig.4, and it will be ob served that as theenergy of the spring decreases, there will, be a corresponding increase in the distance between the vertical plane of'tlie hook and the axis of the shaft 13, .so that the leverage force will gradually increase and thus automatically compensate for the gradually reducing power of the spring, and the arrangement is such that the propelling force exerted by the clock train is substantially the sameat all times.

. On thereduced portion of the collar 24 is an insulat ingsleeve 30 (Fig. 3) on' which is mounted a metallic disk 31 cairying'a contact point 32, preferably formed of platinum." The metal at one side of the disk is extended and bent to form a loop 33 which embraces andsupports the upper end of an insulatedwire 35, the ex reme end of .which is soldered to the disk 31,

while another wire 36 is soldered to the'roc'ker arm23,

these two members being held'from electrical contact by the insulating sleeve 30. I Therocker arm 23 carries a. stud38' on which is 'mounted a contact nie'mber 39 which may be formed of brass or other sheet metal, and this contact is provided with a yieldable arm 40, pref- I erably. forming an integral part of the contact and proj vided with a contact point 41 formed of platinum and adapted to engage with the platinum contact 32 for the purpose of closing the circuit of the electro-magnet.-

- The contact 39 is provided further with two arms 42 extend from the armature shaft to a pointnn'der a" cross b "60 carried by the frame, or extending from one I of the ell crank levers.

and 43 which are arranged to engage with the armature.

lever for making and breaking the circuit of the magnet.

I The electro-magn'et 50 is mounted at one side of the frame, with the coils in vertical-position, and the soft iron annatufe 51 is arranged above the,poles of the magnet. The arinatureis carried by r k shaft 52 which may be formed of brass or other suitable metal, rigidly secured to the armature. The opposite ends of the rockshaft are mounted in bearings formed in the approximately horizontal arms of bell crank levers 54 that are pivoted, at the point of bifurcation, on screws 55 secured to the front and rear plates'of the clock frame. The vertical arms of the bell crank levers,

are provided with 'end slots 56 arranged on. curved lines struck from the center of the screw 55 and through these slots pass locking screws 57 into the threaded openings in the frame plates. The construction is such that the bell-crank levers'may befmoved on theof the armature carryingshaft 52 with respect 'to'the poles of the electro-m'agnet, afterwhich the screws 57 may be tightened for the purpose of locking the bell crank levers in place. The armature is.normally held inelev ted position by means of a leaf spring 59 which Secu ed tothe armature and its rock shaft is a lever 62 that extends inward-to a position under the rocker pivot screws 55 for the purpose of adjusting the position arm 23, and the contact 39, and serves on engagement with. the roclier arm 23 to effect movement of the latter from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. '1, and each timethisoccurs the spring 26 will be placed under stress and will operate to drive" the I clock train until the rocker arm oncemore approaches the position shown in Big. 4, whereupon'the circuit of the electro-magnet will be closed, the armature attracted, and the rocker arm will be again moved to pounder stress.

sition shown in Eig. 1, and the springonce more placed In order to reduce friction, the lower surface of the rocker arm is curved, and the upper" surface ofthe lever 62 is alsb curved, said ,curv'es being so proportioned to each other that during the operative engage- .ment of the 1ever 62 with the arm 23,-the latter will be moved upward without sliding frictional engagement,

the parts being in rolling contact. This constructionis' taken advantage of in the arrangement and mounting of the contact 39. It will be observed that the arm 42 of the contact-39 is recessed to permit free play of the 26. During the latter portion of the downward movement of the arm 23, -the ariii 42 of the contact 'will strike against the armature lever 62 and then as the downward movement of arm 23 continues and the pivot stud 38 is carried down, this arm 42 will rock on the leverv 62 and the contact 41 will be moved downward into engagement with the contact 32, the latter approaching the path of movement of the contact 41,-owing to the rotative movement of disk'31. In other words. these two contacts approach each other on arcua te lines which intersect at a point where the lines are approximately at a rightangle' to each other. and the closing of the circuit is made positive and certain.

The circuit closing operation'takes effect before the arm 23 can engagewith the armature lever 62, or the 'latter, bein'g the stationary member, and bearing against the cross bar 60, will stop the movement of the arm 23, and thus arrest the movement of the clock train, The circuit closing takes place immediately before thesemembe'rs come into contact, and'as soon as the circuit is closed, the el'ectro-magnet is energized and the armature is; attracted. The lever 62 then rides or rolls under the arm 42 of the contact and the curved lower surface of the rocker arm 23 forcing thelatterup from the position shown in Fig.4 to the position shown each other in order to insure the full stroke of the armature, and towards the and of the movement the curved face of the lever 62 will engage against'the arm 43 of the contact and will for c e the movable contaet39 to the position shown in Fig. 5. -It will'be observed on reference to. Fig.- 4 that when the'contacts ar eliii engagement,'-'the arm 43 extendsslightly below-the curved in Fig. During'the first-part of this movement, the two, platinum contacts remain in engagement with lower face of therocker arm 23 and remains in this posi x tion"until' 't'he parts have assumed the position shown l in Fig. 5, whereupon the lever 62 will engage with the arnr43 and positivelyforcethe contact'sout ofengagement, thus insuring positive and abrupt "breaking of the making circuit..

In the operation of clocks of this generaltype, con; 4

side rable difficulty. is experienced where the frame and, arbors 'of the clock train areemployedas current conductors, the resistance to-theipassage of the train beingnbnormal, and in some cases considerable difliculty is experienced owing to deterioration of the lubricant due to the passage of the current across the bearings. In the present case no part ol the frame forms a part of the conductor. The principal COllIll3C- tions are supported on a bar SOlormed oi rubber or fiber and secured to the frame plate 10. This bar car ries three sets of binding posts 81, 82 and Sfiand of these,

the binding posts 81 and 83 are connected to the bat-' tcry x by wires 84 and 85, respectively. The wire 3-5 of the contact disk 31 entends'to the binding post 82. and the wire 36 which is secured to the rocker arznZfl extends to the binding post 81. The electromagnet isconnected by wires 87 and 88 to the binding posts 82 and 83, respectively. The circuit may be traced' from battery a; through wire 84, binding post 81, wire rocker arm 23, contact 39, platinum points 41 and 32, contact disk31, wire 35, binding post 82, wire 87 elect-ro-magnet 50, wire 88. binding post 83, and Wire '85 back to the battery.

1. In alself-winding clock, a clock train, a propelling. spring therefor, an electro-magnet and connections be tween the same and the propelling spring for putting the latter under stress. a pair of adjacent'contacts insulated from each other and carried by and movable with a movable'part of the clock train, electric conductors directly connected to said adjacent contacts whereby they form the, terminals of a charged electric circuit, and a: bridging conducting member mounted on one of the contacts and having movement independent ofsaid contact to complete the circuit to the other'.contact.

means for 'the same, electro-magnetically actuated means operating-on said propelling means at intervals, a pair of adjacent contacts insulated from each other and forming the terminals of an electrlc circuit and carried by and mov-v able with a movable part of the clock train/and a bridgingcoliillctiug member carried by one of'said contacts and movable by gravity .to a positl onto be impelled to close the circuit between the contacts prior to the action of the electric means on the clock train propelling means.

armature and arranged toengag'e the spring impelled arm at intervals to place the'sprlng under stress, an electric circuit including the e'le'ctro-magnet and a source'of en- .e'rgy, and'a pivotally mounted contact carried by the arm ln a self-winding clock, a; clock train, propelling and arranged to engage the armature lever for moving to 'cir'cuit closing position in advance of the operation of said armature lever.

4. In a self winding clock, a clock train; a spring i1npelled arm for imparting movement to the clock train, an electroanagnet, an armature disposed within the field of lorce of thc'electro-magnet, a lever carrying said armature and arranged to engage with the spring impelled arm at intervals, an electric circuit including the electro-magnet and a source of energy, and a contact carried by the arm and provided with :1 pair of arms for successive engagenient'with the armature lever to effect successive making and breaking of the circuit 5. In a self winding clock, a clock train, a spring impelled at I for imparting movement to the train, an electromagnet, an armature disposed within the field of force of the electro-magnet, a lever carrying said armature and arranged to engage the spring impelled arm at intervals, an electric circuit including the electromagnet and a source of energy, pivoted contacts mounted on said arm and connected in the circuit, said contact being provided with a pair elf-projecting arms arranged to be successively engaged by the armature lever for effecting first the make, and then the break ot the electric circuit.

6." In a self Winding clock, a clock train including an arbor, a ratchet wheel onsaid arbor, a collar free to oscillate on the arbor, an arm secured to the collar, a pawl carriedby the arm and engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel, a tension spring extending between the arm and a fixed point, an electro-magnet, an armature disposed within the field of force of the electro-magnet a lever carrying the armature and disposed under said arm, the adjacent -'t'aces of the arm and lever being rounded to permit rolling .i'ierl contact forming the terminals of the circuit and arranged in close relation, means independent of the pro-- pelling means for moving one of said contacts with relation to the other to complete the circuit, and means for insulating said contacts from the ,li'ame and arbors.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses. I

CLEAVER W. WAGNER.

Witnesses:

FRANK C. ANGLE; .T. H. Conn.- 

